Of Perseverance of the Saints
I. They, whom God has accepted in His Beloved,
effectually called, and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall
away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be
eternally saved.a
a. Phil. 1:6; II Pet. 1:10; John 10:28-29; I John 3:9; I
Pet. 1:5, 9.
II. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon
their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the
free and unchangeable love of God the Father;a upon the efficacy of the merit
and intercession of Jesus Christ,b the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed
of God within them,c and the nature of the covenant of grace:d from
all which arises also the certainty and infallibility thereof.e
a. II Tim. 2:18-19; Jer. 31:3.
b. Heb. 10:10, 14; 13:20-21; 9:12-15; Rom. 8:33-39; John 17:11, 24; Luke
22:32; Heb. 7:25.
c. John 14:16-17; I John 2:27; 3:9.
d. Jer. 32:40.
e. John 10:28; II Thess. 3:3; I John 2:19.
III. Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of
Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of
the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins;a and, for a time,
continue therein:b whereby they incur God's displeasure,c and grieve
His Holy Spirit,d come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and
comforts,e have their hearts hardened,f and their consciences
wounded;g hurt and scandalize others,h and bring temporal judgments
upon themselves.i
a. Matt. 26:70, 72, 74.
b. Ps. 51:title, 14.
c. Is. 64:5, 7,9; II Sam. 11:27.
d. Eph. 4:30.
e. Ps. 51:8, 10, 12. Rev. 2:4; Song 5:2-4, 6.
f. Is. 63:17; Mark 6:52; 16:14.
g. Ps. 32:3-4; 51:8.
h. II Sam. 12:14.i. Ps. 89:31-32; I Cor. 11:32.
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